Frame for mail-bags or like receptacles



' {1N0 Model.)

' G. A. LA PEVER.'

FRAME FOB. MAIL BAGS 0R LIKE RECEPTAGLES. No. 505,515. Patented 0 05.10, 1893.

M/VENTOH ATTORNEYS.

V liZ/VESSES. a?

UNITED "STATES Y PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. LA FEVER, SELKIRK, NEW YORK.

FRAME FOR MAIL-BAGS OR LIKE RECEPTACLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 506,515, dated October10, 1893.

- Application filetl September 14, 1892- Serial No. 445,853- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. LA FEVER, of Selkirk, in the county ofAlbany and State .of New York, have invented a new and Improved Framefor Mail-Bags or Like Receptacles, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in the frames of mail bags orlike receptacles,-

and the object of the invention is to provide a frame composed of rigidsections the secframe is brought to its rectangular'position the mouthof the bag is opened, and when the frame is folded, one member upon theother, the mouth of the bag is closed.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing two of themembers with projecting flanges, whereby when the frame is opened theflanges will be at diagonally opposite corners, enabling the bag to besuspended in a ready and convenient manner.

It is another feature of the invention to construct the frame in suchmanner that the body of the bag maybe attached to the outer side or facethereof, and to provide the body of the bag immediately below the hingesin the frame, with correspondingly located hinges acting in conjunctionwith those of the frame,

. thus preventing any strain upon the body, and

insuring the co-operation of the body with the frame.

The invention consistsin the novel constrnction and combinations of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out inthe claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification,

in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate correspondingparts in all the views.

of the body of the bag being represented in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is aplan view of theframe closed. Fig. 4 is a View of the frame in its openposition, the flanged members being in horizontal section, the sectionbeing taken immediately below the flanges. Fig. 5 illustrates the frameas shown in Fig. 4 in folded position to disclose the position andcharacter of its hinges; and Fig. 6 is a transverse section through theframewhen folded, illustrating one way of securingthe body thereto, andproviding a cushion for the upper portion of the body of the bag.

The frame of the bag is composed of four bars, A, B, O and D. The barsare made of metal or of other rigid material, and each of the bars A andB, is provided with'a horizontal flange upon its upper edge, the flangesof the two bars being designated as 10 and 11-, and the flanges projectover the inner faces of the bars. At one edge the flanges are flush withthe ends of the bars; but at the other edges the flanges extend over andbeyond the ends of the bars, and these end projections of the flangesare designated respectively as 10 and 11 The projections of the flanges,however, are not at the same ends of the bars, but at opposite ends, asillustrated in Fig. 1; and the outer extremities of the projectingportions of the flanges are preferably made straight. V

The bar D, is connected with the bar A at the end opposite that beyondwhich the flange extends; and the hinge 12, by means of which theconnection is made, is soshaped as to be partially within and partiallyWithout the frame. The opposite end of the bar D, is connected with theend of the bar B beyond which the flange extension 11, is projected, andthe hinge 13 effecting a connection at this point extends outward fromthe frame; that is to say, it is upon the outside of the frame.

The bar- C, is connected by a hinge 14, with the opposite end of the barB, and the hinge is partially within and partially without the frame, ashas been described in connection with the hinge 12, which when the frameis brought to a rectangular position is diagonally opposite the hinge14. The other end .of the bar 0, has a hinged connection 15 with thatend of the bar A, carrying the projecting vportion of the flange 10*,and the hinge 15, is

formed upon the outer surface of these two bars. Thus what may be termedthe flush ICC I together.

When the lock 17, is not used, the bar D, is 1 provided with a slotthrough which the staple 18, which is then of the ordinary character, isadapted to extend to receivea pad-lock, or like fastening device. Thepins- 16, extend around the side and bottom edges of the lock 17 whenthe lock is employed.

The leather body E of the bag is attached to the outer face of theframe, said frame comprising' the bars A, B, G and D, by causing thepins to project through the leather, and then rivetin the heads of thepins. This is the ordinary way of makin the attachment,

but if" it is desired the body of the bag may be attached to the frame,as illustrated in Figl- 6, inwhich the attachment between the frame andthe body is made below the upper edg of the latter and the upper edge iscarried downward upon the body over afilling '19, and the folded portionof the body is se-' ets- 20, or the equivalent thereof; By this means acushion is formed along the outer faces of the frame,- which protectsthe frame and likewise protects the attaching inedinin of the body. Inany event, by attaching the is more or less protected.

In order that the body of the bag may move eon'certedl-ywithtilt-Tiffanie, and WitlIOllii eraeking or creasing, hinges 21, arelocated at the corners of the bag body, as shown in dotted lines in Fig.2, and these hinges are immediately' beneath the hinges of the frame andare situated in like manner; in fact, the pinties of the frame hingesare also made to con 'stitlite the pintles of the hinges of the body.Thus these two parts must of necessity move A socket or pocket 22, isplaced upon the out-er face of the body of the bag at one side of theframe, as shown in Fig; 1, for-the reoept ion of the ta indicating towhat portion of the country the bag is to be sent; and a handle,- orhandles, 23, may likewise be attached to the frame if in practice it isfound desirable.

In folding the frame from an open to a closed position, the bar 0 foldsclose to the inner face of the bar B beneath thefiange 11 thereof,- andthe flanged bar A, receives in engagement therewith the bar D, theflange of the bar A, covering the top of the bar D, and the projectingends of the two flanges overlap the upper edge of the bar D adjacentstrengthen the frame.

to or over the lock; these two fianges practically abut, as shown inFig. 3, and serve to The hinges of the frame are constructed in themanner above described; that is, two hinges facing outward and two ofthe hinges flush, in order that the bars of the frame'nl'ay be foldedclose together, as the flush hinges are at the extremity' of the foldedframe while the outwardly projecting hinges are at the central portionthereof, one at each side, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. I

. This frame is exceedingly strong, it is economic in its constructionand it is capable of being readily opened, and when open it will asthebag is openthe projecting flan es maybe utilized to suspend the bag fromany convenient support.

It will be understood that the frame is applicable to any character ofbag in which it i is desirable to have the mouth held open or to holdthe mouth readily closed.

The frame, when constructed as above do scribed may he made ex eedinglylight and yet be very strong, and as but four pieces constitute theframe it is readily put together and is capable of being convenientlyandexpe'ditiously' manipulated.

It will be noticed by reference to Figs. 3

1 and 5 that the hinges 13 and 15,- at the ceneured to its straightportion by means of r1iv-- ter of the folded frame do not some oppositeeach other, but, arearranged to break joints, thus securing a rigidityand firmness as well as a de ree or safety not obtained when the twocentral hinges are brought in the closed 1 frame opposite one another.body to the outer face of the frame the latter Having thus fullydescribed my invention,

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- V v 1. In a mailbag or kindred receptacle, a

frame, the same consisting of four bars, the

1 bars being hinged at their ends in order to constitute a rectangularshape when in one position, two opposite bars being provided flangesupontheir upper edges inwardly extending, the flanges projecting beyondopposite ends of the bars, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. -A frame for mail bags or similar receptacles, consisting of fourrigid bars, the bars being hinged to form a rectangular figure,

two diagonally opposite hinges extending within and without the frameand the other diagonally opposite hinges projecting beyond the outersurface of the frame, and fastening devices integral with and projectingfrom the outer faces of the bars and adapted to receive the body of thebag, the inner faces of the bars being free from projections to permitthem to contact as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a mail bag or similar receptacle, a frame, the same consisting offour bars connected by hinges at their ends to form a rectangularfigure, two diagonally opposite hinges projecting beyond the outer facesof the bars 'sume a rectangular position and the body of the bag willassume the same position; when and the other two diagonally'oppositehinges being practically flush with the outerface of the bars, andhorizontal flanges located upon two opposite bars and extending beyondopposite corners of said bars, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a mail bag or like receptacle, the combination with a frameconsisting of four rigid bars having a hinge connection and grouped toform a rectangular figure, of a body portion secured to the bars, thebody portion being provided with hinges beneath the hinges of the framebars, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a mail bag or like receptacle, the combination, with a foldingframe provided with hinges at the ends of its members, of pins secureduponthe'outer faces of the members of the frame, and a body portionsecured to the said pins, the said bodybeing provided with hingesbeneath the hinges of the frame, as and for thepurpose set forth.

6. The combination with the frame formed of the hinged bars havingprojections on their outer faces,of the bag E securednear its upper edgeupon said projections, with its upper edge folded over upon the outerface of the bag and riveted thereto as at 20 thus concealing theprojections 16 and forming the cushion 19, substantially as set forth.

GEORGE A. LA FEVER.

Witnesses:

ROBERT JEFFERSON, WM. L. OGSBURY.

